We've unearthed plans by Intel to launch two new 7-series socket LGA1155 motherboards in Q3-2012, the Extreme Series DZ77GAL-70K "Gasper Light" and DZ75ML-45K "Middle Lake." The two boast of Windows 8 WHQL certificiation, Fast Boot, and Lucid VirtuMVP.

We've unearthed plans by Intel to launch two new 7-series socket LGA1155 motherboards in Q3-2012, the Extreme Series DZ77GAL-70K "Gasper Light" and Media Series DZ75ML-45K "Middle Lake." The two boast of Windows 8 WHQL certificiation, Fast Boot support, and Lucid VirtuMVP.

Intel is expected to launch the Desktop Board DZ77GAL-70K "Gasper Light," its third Extreme Series motherboard based on the Z77 Express chipset, after the DZ77GA-70K "Gasper" and Thunderbolt-equipped DZ77RE-75K "Roads End." Its codename gives away a lot about it. It's based on the same exact PCB design as the other two. Its specifications sheet is nearly identical to that of the DZ77GA-70K. A major point of difference between the two is the exclusion of paraphernalia such as the WiDi-capable WLAN add-on card with its antenna kit, the Bluetooth dongle, 3.5-inch USB 3.0 front-panel port kit, and Extreme Series mouse-pad, which the DZ77GA-70K ships with. The DZ77GAL-70K otherwise bears such strong resemblence to the DZ77GA-70K that the industry partners recycled its image in material that details the new board.

Stuff you stand to miss in the DZ77GAL-70K package (Image Credit: The Tech Report)

The next board in the pipeline is the Media Series DZ75ML-45K "Middle Lake." It is based on the same exact PCB design as the DZ77SL-50K and DH77KC. The "Middle Lake" codename is apt, as the DZ75ML-45K is a middle ground between the two aforementioned boards. On offer, is a board that is closer to the DH77KC in terms of features, as it lacks the VRM heatsink, but one that tops it with support for CPU overclocking, thanks to the Z75 Express chipset it's based on. A sacrifice here is Intel Smart Response Technology (SSD caching), which is present on the H77 Express chipset, while Z75 Express lacks it. The Z75 PCH is about US $8 cheaper than the $48 Z77 PCH, other than lack of Intel Smart Response and Rapid Start technologies on the Z75, the two are identical. The Z75 is also $3 cheaper than the H77.

Since the two boards launch close to that of the year's biggest PC industry launch, Microsoft Windows 8, the two will come with BIOS firmware that's ready for the new operating system, complete with support for the Fast Boot feature. Intel will also include licenses for LucidLogix VirtuMVP graphics virtualization software.

We expect the DZ77GAL-70K package to shave a neat US $30-40 off the current market price of the DZ77GA-70K, and the DZ75ML-45K to cost nearly the same, if not cheaper, than the DH77KC.